


Under The Stars (One-shot Story)

by KetoLumin



Category: Echo (Visual Novel 2019)
Genre: Aftermath, Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe, Anthropomorphic, Bi-Curiosity, Canon Gay Character, Canon LGBTQ Character, Canon LGBTQ Male Character, Carl Hendricks - Freeform, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Cute Ending, Dark Past, Destroying Childhood Memories, Developing Relationship, Echo - Freeform, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluffy Ending, Flynn Moore - Freeform, Furry, Gay Character, Gay Male Character, Graphic Novel, Happy Ending, Hopeful Ending, Jenna Begay - Freeform, LGBTQ Character, Leo Alvarez - Freeform, Love, M/M, Male Protagonist, Memories, One Shot, Peace, Repressed Memories, Revelations, Sad with a Happy Ending, Secrets, Short, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Side Story, Sydney Bronson - Freeform, TJ Hess - Freeform, Tragedy, Wistful, echo project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:20:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28425378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KetoLumin/pseuds/KetoLumin
Summary: This scene takes place after the end of TJ's route, following their visit to the police station in Payton where they report the incident at Lake Emma.TJ has never fully understood his own feelings, and he has to clarify something that has been bothering him for a while. Chase had already established his relationship with TJ as the lynx's protector, a vow that he made after the tragic event. However, little did he know that this would change very soon. It's a revelation that neither of them expected at that moment in time, considering how things have been.
Relationships: Chase Hunter & Tobias Jedidiah Hess
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Under The Stars (One-shot Story)

* * *

I twist the key and the engine roars to life, then I hit the gas and the car sprung forward, spraying sand and gravel behind. A few seconds later, we are back on the highway, departing from Payton police station and heading towards CCU. The last rays of sunshine begin to hide behind the protruding hills to my left. I take a look and see where the red-tainted clouds blend with the gray ones, and finally smoothing out into complete blackness towards our direction.

I turn to my other side to check on TJ, and immediately caught his eyes. He was watching too. I can make out the remnants of a smile through the form of his muzzle, and I smile back at him. He looks away from me then. I check the road ahead before glancing back at him. Now he's looking outside the window beside him. I remain silent and focus on driving.

The drive was tranquil. The sun had already set, the sky littered with the sporadic twinkling of stars. It was a serene clear sky, a stark contrast to the ambience of what happened earlier that day. I find myself basking under the solemness of the night, listening to the sounds around me. Of the wind breeze. Of the tiny little insects chirping. Of the car engine's rhythmic breathing. I find solace in all of it, and for the very first time in my life since childhood, I feel genuine peace. It's enough to make me forget about all the events that ever transpired in the past days.

"Chase?" TJ suddenly cooed from the passenger seat, breaking the silence that I didn't know was there in the first place.

"Yeah?" I replied, diverting my eyes from the road towards his direction for a brief moment before focusing my attention again on the path ahead.

"Thank you." He said in a quiet voice, almost whispering.

I was taken aback for a moment, but I quickly regained my composure. "For what?" I ask, taking occasional glances at him as I keep my eyes on the road.

"Everything." He uttered, leaving it at that, but I sense there's more to what he has to say so I remain silent. A heartbeat later he spoke again. "For saving my life, protecting me, always being there for me." He goes on. I shift my attention momentarily to him, that feeling of warmth in my chest that I felt when I was consoling him at the lake coming back to me. I was about to open my mouth to respond.

"And... about yesterday..." He added before I could reply. For a moment I have no idea what he was talking about, then my mind clicked, and I remember.

I stay silent for a moment before speaking up. "I'm sorry about what happened." I said. "TJ..." I pause, making sure we are still on the road before turning my head towards him. "I got carried away. I shouldn't have done that. I... I just thought you-" I paused again for a second. "You'd feel the same way."

As I finish that last sentence, TJ is not looking at me anymore, his eyes downcast. I frown. Silence drags on between the two of us. Is he still upset about that after all? I decide to just shift my focus on the road.

_"He would never love me that way. What was I thinking?" I utter in my mind. "He's a Christian for fuck's sake. Of course he's not-"_

"Stop the car." TJ suddenly uttered, and I immediately jolt back to coherence.

"What?" I exclaimed, baffled and confused by the sudden change of his tone.

"I said stop the car, Chase." His voice was harder this time, and at that moment I knew he was serious. I step on the brakes, and the car slows to a halt beside the boundary that separates the road from the barren landscape outside. I turn my full attention to TJ.

"What's wrong?" I questioned him, concern and worry prominent in my voice. I wait for his answer. The silence lasted for a few moments before he replied.

"Kiss me." He blurted out in a voice that sounded determined and without hesitance.

I was left stunned for a moment, not expecting that reply coming from him. I couldn't speak. The silence stretches on for seconds, and I realize that I was holding my breath the entire time. I open my mouth to speak, but the words get stuck in my throat.

"Now, Chase." His voice grows more demanding and assertive.

"What? Wait, why?" I stuttered, wondering why he would want to do this out of the blue. Confusion radiated through my voice and I furrow my brows at him, looking him straight in the eyes.

A soft glow emanated from his blue eyes in the moonlight, and he softened, his form deflating as a solemn look washed over his face. My heart melted at the sight. He's so precious. I just want to protect him from all the evil of this world. I want to protect him with all my life. I dwell upon my thoughts for a while until he finally replies.

"I need to know." He said as he looks down at his lap. At first I don't understand where he's coming from, but now I do. He wants to confirm his feelings towards me. If that's what he wants, then...

I lurch forward towards him, placing my paw behind his neck and pushing him towards me. Our lips meet for the second time, and I wonder if I'm back at the old forest again, because I feel the same stiff lips I had kissed yesterday. What if all of this is just a dream? But I feel them soften after a while. My heart fills with warmth and love for the lynx once again, and I put all of my passion into the kiss, pulling him closer towards me. Everything around me warps into oblivion as the only thing that matters to me right now is this moment. I wrap my arm around TJ and he doesn't recoil.

We stay like this for a few more seconds, and after what seemed like forever, he finally pulls away and gasps, taking in huge amounts of breaths. He was panting like he just came back from hours of hiking. By now my heart is beating so fast I can hardly breathe too. 

"Woah." He manages to say as he was catching his breath. "That was..." His eyes wander up to mine, and I notice that he was blushing, even through all that thick fluff on his cheeks. I give him a smirk.

"Intense huh?" I reply mischievously.

"Yeah." He chuckles, and I do the same. Silence replaced the laughter shortly afterward and we stare at each other's eyes. We linger in the silence for quite some time, just staring at each other as if we're both hypnotized. TJ is the first one to speak.

"Chase..." He began, rubbing his arm with his paw. It was a gesture that is all too familiar to me. I waited in anticipation for what he's about to say.

"I love you." He muttered softly, his eyes stay locked with mine. I just stare and nothing more, my heart skipping a beat. I'm not expecting those words from him. Not after what happened. At least not too soon. In fact, I didn't expect him to like the kiss at all. I know he was just bi-curious, and all I care about is being his protector, but now it seems like I'm more than that to him after all.

"I love you too, TJ." I softly said back to him, my eyes shining in affection for him. He looks at me with that eyes of his. I can't look away. I'm completely enamored by his gaze. It's only when the silence begins to get awkward that I finally divert my eyes away from him. From the corner of my vision, I can see his face smiling at me.

I'm too flushed to look at him right now so instead I look out through the windshield and up into the sky, where the scattered stars blink down upon us in the silence of the night. It's so peaceful. I wish this moment would last forever. There's nothing between us, no one else but us in this desolated desert. It's like a dream. It's so surreal. It's only been a week, yet a lot has already happened. How did it get this far so fast?

I look over at TJ. He's looking up towards the sky too. I don't know what's in his mind right now, but deep down I know he meant what he said. I push the parking break down, its spontaneous clucking sound jerking TJ out from his train of thoughts and back into the present. The car took off with a grunt, hovering over untainted sand before finally lurching forward. We're back on the road again. We look at each other for a moment, not uttering a word, then we continued the trip in silence.

* * *

Half an hour has passed, and the night stretches on. I turn to my right, and see TJ sound asleep with his head against the glass window. I wish I could reach over and shift his head onto my shoulder, but he's too far away, and besides I'm still driving at the moment so it would be pretty inconvenient. The lynx's soft snores add to the serenity. The corners of my mouth curve into a smile.

I know everything will be alright from now on.


End file.
